


One Day

by Kyoupann



Category: Linked Universe - Fandom, The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Hopeful Ending, Background Character Death, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, It's bro bronding time, Linked Universe (Legend of Zelda), Mentions of Death, Survivor Guilt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-29
Updated: 2020-08-29
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:48:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,066
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26168938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kyoupann/pseuds/Kyoupann
Summary: Living becomes a little less harder when you have someone who will listen.
Comments: 12
Kudos: 108





	One Day

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MajesticGaZell](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MajesticGaZell/gifts).



> This is a gift for MajesticGaZell for the summer exchange! (:  
> I hope it is to your liking! <3
> 
> Warning: the first scene implies someone dies, you can start reading after the italicised text/the page break and it should all be good!

_He is running._

_His lungs are filled with fire and he is running._ _  
_

_The sound of metal scraping against metal has been drowned by shouts and cries of hundreds of men._

_And they are running with him and for him._

_They must evacuate as soon as possible. The poison spreading through the woods quicker than anyone could’ve predicted._

_He can almost see the edge of the area, Hyrule field in the distance. Just a couple of meters more and they all will be out of the poison’s reach, and hopefully, they will be in one piece._

_But the poison is chasing after them and it’s making it difficult to breathe and move. He trips and hits the ground with a loud thud followed by a painful crack. There’s no time for panic to start in him, for someone has already picked him up by the waist and slung his arm over their neck._

_The soldier shots him a bright smile, and together run towards their goal._

_They can see the light, they can almost touch it._

_But he feels the steps of his companion start to falter, so he picks up the pace for the both of them despite the throbbing pain bolting through his leg. Suddenly, the weight on his left shoulder becomes too much and sends him down to the ground. The elaborated breathing of his comrade stunning him. He shouts commands to stay awake, to get up, to run, to live, but the soldier never acknowledges him._

_The poison is starting to clog his lungs and he knows that if they don’t leave now, they won’t last 10 minutes more._

_His muscles are beginning to go numb. With the very last of his strength, he begins to get up to try and get them both out; but a sudden force lifts him off of his feet. He quickly processes what is happening and dread pools in his stomach._

_He doesn’t protest, he doesn’t have the energy to, but he shouts, telling the soldier carrying him that there is still a comrade in there. But he doesn’t turn; the silhouette of the soldier cramping in pain disappears from his vision as they barely make it to the end of the woods._

* * *

His eyes opened abruptly and his mouth drew in a deep breath; air smashing his lungs, forcing him to let it out the same way it came.

It took a moment for him to breathe at a normal pace, but when he did, he finally let his mind do its job and remind him of their current location; Twilight’s home.

He stared at the ceiling for a couple of minutes while working on his breathing. He didn’t try to move, he didn’t risk waking up the two heroes sleeping at either side of him. So, he just waited until the numbness subsided and he managed to sit up slowly.

From the second floor, he noticed the light of the hearth, and only then did he realise how cold he felt. He worked his way out of the pile of limbs on top of him as quietly as he could.

He cursed Twilight on his way down the ladder when he almost missed a step. _Why did he have to have such uneven stairs_? If whatever they are after doesn’t kill him, he’s sure the farmhand’s shitty ladders will.

Once on the main floor, he turns around to the source of light. To his surprise, he is not the only one up tonight, a very familiar silhouette is sitting before the hearth. Warriors debates whether he should announce himself so as not to startle the boy or—

_Creak._

The wood cried under his bare feet.

The other’s ears twitched in alarm, the figure quickly turned to find him standing like a scared deer at the other side of the room.

Warriors mouths a hi and gives a tired wave as he walks over to the fire. He sits down next to Wild, leaving a good arms-length between them. For minutes, none of them seems to want to say anything; the cracking of the fire and the wind sneaking through the cracks doing all the talking.

“What are you doing up, Captain?”

Warriors shrugs. “Same question.”

It’s Wild’s time to shrug and drop his hands to his lap, “someone had to take watch, I guess.”

They both let out low chuckles at the lame excuse and say nothing more; why the need to say the obvious?

They stay in agreeable silence for what feels like hours. Warriors looks around the hearth, taking notice of all the stuff Twi has against the wall, the two photos above the table catching his attention; a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

“What?” Wild asked.

Warriors shook his head and pointed at one of the photographs, “he really loves his goats.”

Wild snorts and rolls his eyes as if saying ‘ _you don’t even know_ ’.

A shuffling behind them forces them to shut up quickly. They turn their head to check if anyone woke up, but they find nothing but emptiness in the room.

“You never told me why you’re up, Cap.”

“Same as you.”

“Hey, I told you.”

“Told a really shitty excuse.”

Warriors spares a proper look at Wild for the first time in the last half an hour; he might not know him as well as Twilight, but sometimes the cook is just so easy to read and he can tell by the way fingers curl the end of his hair and the faint insistence in his tone that he wants to talk about whatever is bothering him.

“It’s only fair that I tell you if you tell me,” Warriors proposed.

Wild took two seconds to ponder his answer before nodding.

“Fair,” he agreed.

Warriors scooted a bit closer to him and it was only when he hit Wild’s shoulder that he realised how close they had moved to each other in the meantime.

Warriors took a deep breath, “during the war, I watched many of my fellow soldiers die, “he started slowly, weighing every word before continuing, “and I guess, sometimes, I wish it had been me instead.”

He doesn’t elaborate and Wild doesn’t ask. He doesn’t need to, he simply nods.

“I get that.”

Warriors grimaced, “I’m sorry you do.”

Wild tilts his head slightly, _whatever_ , and places a hand on Warriors’ shoulder.

“It’s funny. I had a similar dream tonight, “Wild tries to laugh but the comment only gets a pathetic huff from the Captain, “I dream of them, the people that shouldn’t have died. Their faces haunt me.”

Warriors hums in agreement, “have you—have you talked about this with someone before?”

He needs to know he has because the sting of guilt is worse than any injury and he doesn’t want to think that Wild has kept all this pain to himself, just like he had in the beginning. It’s painful and intoxicating and useless. Of all the things they could’ve had in common, Warriors wishes this wasn’t one of them.

Wild doesn’t answer immediately, instead, he drops his hand on Warrior’s shoulder and takes it to his chin, trying to recall ever telling someone.

“I’m sure I’ve told Wolfie,” Wild lets out a dry laugh. “Do you want to schedule an appointment? He’s a really good therapist.”

“Oh, please!” he clasped his hands together, adding another layer to his sarcasm before laughter takes the best of them.

Warriors feels his body start to relax bit by bit, the stiffness in his shoulders has subsided and he is now able to slouch down, his bones cracking loudly as he does so. The conversation seems to die there among quiet snickers from the two.

“Why do you think it is?” Wild asks out of nowhere, startling Warriors, and when he does not receive an answer, he tries to explain, “you know, the dreams, why tonight? We hardly ever sleep under a roof.”

And that’s an answer Warriors knows but does not let himself wonder about frequently; he has already enough reasons to believe he doesn’t deserve to stand where he is, he doesn’t need to add another 20.

“Well, I’m sure it’s different for each of us,” he points at Wild and then at himself. “In my case, I’m only alive because I was the Hero; people died to protect me because if I died then everything was screwed.” He combs a hand through his hair and settles it at the nape of his neck, “it’s the feeling of security… if I can feel at peace and safe here, why can’t they?”

There is something that seems to click inside Wild’s head, but no words make it out of his mouth; instead, he just nods repeatedly, because what else can he add to a thought he completely agrees with. There’s no need to explain to Warriors how he feels because

Warriors already knows, and that’s enough for him. No need to state the obvious.

Warriors looks at Wild while he stretches his legs and arms, bones cracking even louder than the old man’s back. He then takes his slate from where it had been laying on the ground next to him, seemingly forgotten, and starts tapping and sliding.

“It’s almost sunrise,” Warriors whispers.

“Yep,” Wild says, popping the p, “and since you’re up early, you can choose what we’ll have for breakfast,” he tilts the slate slightly so Warriors can see him scroll through their food, “it’s about time I started preparing something if I want it ready for when everyone wakes up.”

Warriors smiles, a smile that reaches his eyes for the first time in weeks. He knows Wild, even if it’s just a bit, and he knows this is his way of comforting him. He leans into Wild and starts tapping the ingredients he knows they’ll need, and when everything is selected and ready, they move over to the table. He says he’ll help him cook, and naturally Wild refuses at first, but there’s no way he is going to let him do all the work of cooking for nine when he is up and fully awake and with nothing better to do and so many things to think about.

They start working quietly, cracking eggs here and whisking there, but as the sun starts to seep in through the windows, illuminating the inside of the house beautifully, they find there’s no more need to be quiet; a cucco has already sung its morning song and some of their brothers have stirred awake. Life feels to restarts slowly, but surely, as the sweet smell of their cooking wafts through the main room and finds its way to the second and third floors.

Soon, they have moved the table to the middle of the room so that it can fit everyone, barrels mixing with chairs and their travel tableware clashing oddly with Twi’s rustic one. One by one, the heroes emerge from their sleeping spots. And when everyone is sat around the table, some being squished more than others, the day starts.

In the back of his mind, the thought still dances, up and down, back and forth; he should’ve been able to protect all those people, but there’s nothing he can do about them now except for mourning them. Instead, he’ll make sure that no one else gets hurt under his orders and that at the end of it all, nine portals will open and everyone will go home. Sky will marry Sun and together will watch Hyrule grow, Wind will see his family again and will find new lands, Time will hold his little one in his arms and will sing them to sleep, Four will become Royal Smith and will open his own weapon shop, Twilight will find whatever he’s been looking for, and whether he finds it or not, happiness will find him; Wild will bring more people together through his cooking and will create more food to add to his recipe book, Legend will continue travelling and learning, finding the quaintest towns and meeting new people; and Hyrule will explore and discover new mountains and mighty waterfalls. And him? He will keep on living for those who are no longer with him, for the ones who should’ve stayed but couldn’t and the ones that will inevitably leave. For them and, one day, for himself. 

**Author's Note:**

> I had so much fun planning this AND THEN, when I started writing my only brain cell decided to play country roads for a week straight. It was quite a ride ksksks.
> 
> Anyways, I hope y'all enjoyed reading this!! c: any comments/kudos are deeply appreciated and archived in my heart forever. If you wanna chat about loz/lu hmu on tumblr @kyoupann


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